When You Find Me
by Doctor Lexie Sloan
Summary: Based off of TranquilityCity's "Time Divided". 'Hearing her voice, seeing her after all those years, he could swear his heart stopped beating. It was Lexie, no doubt, but not the same Lexie that he'd watched grow up all those years ago.'


_**A/N: Okay, don't hate me! I know, it's been a long time and I know this probably isn't what y'all want posted, but after reading the first couple chapters of **_**TranquilityCity's "Time Divided", **_**I couldn't help myself. I have permission from the author to publish this spin-off, and on that note, I'd like to say a few things. One, I wrote this after reading the third chapter. We've found out more at this point than I had known after chapter 3, so my info isn't all exactly correct and doesn't fit to the story. Two, This is**_** TranquilityCity's story. **_**They're Shonda's characters fitted to**_** TranquilityCity's **_**story and I slightly changed certain points in the plot to satisfy myself and my readers. If you haven't read "Time Divided", I recommend reading it before continuing not only because it's pertinent to the setting, characters, time and plot of "When You Find Me", it's a pretty kick-ass Merder FanFic. So, read it so you don't get confused, or at the very least, read the first few chapters to see where this starts or continue if you dare. "When You Find Me" will probably be 3-6 chapters, maybe more and follow a short period of time in the length of two or three weeks. I hope you enjoy it, and if you have any questions. P.M. me:) Love y'all:***_

_**-DLS**_

…

"I figured it was you that spooked him." Mark called out into the darkness, sipping his beer.

"And I figured you'd be sitting here, nursing your beer, right where I left you." She smiled, emerging from the dimly lit woods. He nearly choked on his beer. Hearing her voice, seeing her after all those years, he could swear his heart stopped beating. It was Lexie, no doubt, but not the same Lexie that he'd watched grow up all those years ago. She was tall, not as tall as he was, but much taller than her sister, and her long, wavy, dark hair tumbled down her back, nearly reaching her waist. The pale, exposed skin that wasn't covered by her black crop top and the destroyed high waisted denim shorts shown in the moonlight as she strategically made across the width of the river. He smiled as she hopped on each stone just as he'd taught her that summer, the only thing getting wet were the untied laces of her muddy white converse high tops.

"You know, last time I checked, _I _got my sorry ass out of this town when I have the chance, leaving _you_ behind."

She laughed, plopping down in the cheap lawn chair Derek had been sitting in.

"I got out of here to, you know. I'm not some high school dropout living in my parent's garage. I had to get out of that hell hole. They're all either fake surfers or geeky nerds. No way I was missing my California summer by the lake and the beaches to be with nerds. With nerds! I hate nerds, you know that."

"You are a nerd, Lexie."

"Oh please," she scoffed, "Just because I'm smarter than you, you automatically consider me a nerd?"

"You are not smarter than me, where are you studying anyway?"

"Stanford. Pre-med." she replied easily, causing him to do a spit-take.

"Okay," he sighed, "Maybe you are a _bit_ smarter than me. But that doesn't change the fact that I rubbed off on you."

"Yeah, more ways than one." she said, leaning across his lap to grab a can of beer. The feeling that jolted through his body was nothing he'd ever felt before. His nerves caught fire and his heart beat accelerated so fast you'd think he'd just run a marathon. He gripped the empty can in his hand so hard it was crushed beneath his fingers.

"You okay?" she asked, eyes shooting to the squashed can.

"Yeah, fine… I just… You're underage." he managed, realizing how lame that excuse was.

"And you're over protective. C'mon, what's the worst that could happen?"

"Give me your phone. And your keys."

"Fine, whatever just, don't, like, read my texts." she sighed, handing him the objects. The screen lit up, revealing a picture of Lexie, in a maroon cheerleading uniform, kissing a tall, muscular, blonde football player. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, grasping the face mask of his helmet, and Mark could say for a fact that he did not like where the kids hands were on her body. His mind wandered to Derek and how protective he was of his sisters. But as his gaze fell on her once again, the strain in his pants made it quite obvious that the things he wanted to do to her were nowhere near close to brotherly.

"That's my boyfriend." she said softly, gesturing the phone.

"I figured." he scoffed, leaning back in the green chair.

"It's not serious."

"Looks pretty serious, Lex."

"It's not gonna work out" she added hastily, "he's stuck at school, for training, and you know, long distance relationships…" They were silent for a few moments, absorbing the woods around them.

"Damn, its cold." she shivered a minute later, and he uncrossed his legs.

"Come over here, warm me up." he whined, his voice low.

"What, you want me to sit on your lap?"

"You said it, not Me." he chuckled. She stood up, wrapping her long, Aztec print sweater across her small frame.

"You're right. It's a good way to stay warm." He inwardly gasped, never thinking that she'd actually conform to the idea. "You have to promise to keep your hands to yourself, though." She pointed a finger at him, accusingly.

"Scout's honor." he chuckled, ducking his head.

"You were not a boy scout."

"Yeah, but Derek was. He talked so much about it, it's _etched _in my brain." he used his hands to emphasize just how 'etched' it was, causing her to laugh.

"You know what's etched in my brain?" she asked, making her way over to him.

"Hmm," he mused, sipping his beer, "Everything."

"Yes, but no. That isn't what I meant."

"So, what do you mean?"

"That summer. The summer when Derek left and Meredith was holed up in her room… We spent every minute together."

"That summer you tried to drown me?"

"It was self defense!"

"For the last time, I did not untie your bikini!" He exclaimed as she sat on his lap. "It was the current. It's damn strong in the middle." She slowly settled her head into his neck, inhaling. He smelled like beer and smoke, from the bonfire, a smell she grew up on. He also smelled like the lake and a scent so distinctly him she couldn't identify it. His strong arms held her close and she could feel the steady thump of his heart against her chest. Just like he had all those years ago, just as only he had ever been able to do, Mark made her feel safe.

"Better?" he asked in a whisper and she nodded gently.

"Yeah"

"Good." He whispered into her hair. This was so easy, so natural. Being with Lexie felt like he was dreaming a dream he'd been having for years. It felt as if every hard moment he'd been through, his reward was right here.

. . .

They could've been there for an hour; they could've been there for five. All Mark knew was the fire was about to go out and he was running out of time.

"Lex?" he asked quietly, and she looked up at him.

"Yeah?" she replied. Shifting.

"The fire's about to go out. Do you wanna come inside?"

"Can we maybe stay out here a little longer?"

"Of course, whatever you want." he pulled her closer, the wind tempting the demise of the fire.

"Do you not just love this?" she questioned a minute later. "The fire, the lake the stars. It's just serene and…"

"Perfect?"

"Perfect." she repeated, lifting her head.

"I came back for a reason, Lexie." He said. Tenderly brushing back her bangs.

"So did I." she murmured, her lips meeting his. She tasted like a California summer, like honey and sunshine, warm and wet. He savored the taste of her mouth, dragging his tongue over her perfect teeth. He placed wet, open mouthed kisses down her neck, the skin glistening in a trail of lust. His teeth nipped at the sensitive skin, just above her collarbone. She moaned softly, but pulled back.

"We should go inside." she muttered into his kiss, giggling.

"Here's fine." he replied, leaning towards her.

"Mark," she laughed, swatting at him as she stood up, his attempts to pull her back down on the verge of success.

"It's freezing out, and it's late. The fire's about to go out, and if anyone sees us…"

"Fine, but no more talking." he dragged her across a path of small stones. Their hands were connected as he pulled her through the doorway. She stopped to kiss him and found herself pressed up against a wall.

"I hate to say it, but we need to go upstairs."

"Why? I am very comfortable right here." she mumbled, taking off her sweater. He groaned as she slipped her hands under the hem of his red t-shirt.

"Derek's room is about ten feet away."

"And…"

"_And,_ I'm not really in the mood to be interrupted."

"Good Point." she replied as they made their way up the wooden steps. Their lips didn't break contact until Mark's bedroom door slammed shut. He pulled off his shirt, then hers slowly revealing each inch of perfect skin meticulously. He ran his tongue over the newly exposed flesh as he sucked on the inside of her breast. Her nimble fingers found the zipper of his jeans and maneuvered it open, raking her nails over his erection slowly, and a grunt escaped from deep in his throat.

"What happened to 'hands to yourself'?" he managed, and she took a step back. Lexie didn't break eye contact once as she unbuttoned her shorts, button by button and they fell off her hips, revealing a scandalous black thong. "Beautiful" he muttered, before pushing her against the wall with such force it was bound to wake up his best friend. So, for good measure, he locked the door.

. . .


End file.
